Grinderman – Heathen Child

Always good to see Nick Cave’s 9-to-5 office hours paying dividend, whichever outlet from which it may emerge. Grinderman’s eponymous first album was a lecherous riot and a blessed offering to Onan. This time round, the primates are out and the wolfman is in, as evidenced by artwork and lyrics currently doing the rounds.

None of this can prepare you, however, for the hungry, visceral power of lead single, “Heathen Child”, which is best heard in conjunction with its John Hillcoat-directed video. Warning: this video is nothing like The Road. Consistently hilarious in its lyrics (“She don’t care about Allah – she is the Allah”) and bursting with Warren Ellis’ typically squalling noisemakers, “Heathen Child” is a seething, slithering mountain of MENACE, and it’s out to get you, personally.

She’s sitting in the bathtub, sucking her thumb…

Oh, and did I mention there’s a special version of the song (entitled “Super Heathen Child”, because Nick Cave doesn’t care about looking ridiculous) engorged with a guitar solo from Mr. Robert Fripp?

The album, Grinderman 2, is out on September 13th. Prepare for a snarling monster of bluesy madness that makes Jack White’s chimerical side-projects look like Fisher Price nursery rhymes.